Etiquette

Like many traditional dojo, the etiquette in the Jukuren Dojo is kept fairly simple. At the beginning of each class, the students sit in ranks, facing the Shomen (front, central point of the dojo), where the Instructor is seated. When all students are settled, the senior-most student gives the command “Sensei ni Rei!”, at which point the instructor and students place their hands on the ground in front of themselves, and bow with their eyes down, accompanied by the phrase “Onegai Shimasu” (by the students).

After this, the Instructor gives a brief talk about the classes topics for that night, and takes the students through a brief meditation, designed to clear any thoughts or concerns from the day, and to prepare them (mentally) for the training ahead, and the class begins.

At the end of the class, after a discussion of the nights lessons, the senior-most student again gives the command “Sensei ni Rei!”, and the students and instructor bow to each other the same way as the opening ceremony, but with the phrase “Arigatou Gozaimashita”.

During training, it is expected that all students pay attention to all instruction given, stopping to listen when told to do so, and that such instruction is taken with the term “Hai”, which simply means “yes, I understand”.

Students also give a short, simple bow a the beginning and end of training with each other.

While there are both Shinto and Buddhist influences on the systems we practice, the dojo is not considered a Shinto or Buddhist location, and there is no religious beliefs necessarily ascribed.